Little Helping Hands

Keeping a tidy home can be a challenge for even the best of us. It can be especially difficult when our pint-sized friends come to visit for a few hours and leave the place looking like the Tasmanian Devil has been through!

A small solution to help alleviate the stress of cleaning up after grandkids is to put their energy to good use. Kids love to help. So, find some easy tasks around the house that can help you get a head start on cleaning with their assistance. This will not only be a fun activity for them but also teaches a lesson about cleaning and doing household chores.

Here are a few ways in which your grandkids can help with the housework:

Washing the car. Water, suds, buckets and a hose – a child’s dream! Just remember to either put your grandchild in a swimsuit or be prepared with a dry change of clothes.

Folding laundry. They may not get it just right, but letting your little one play at folding a small pile of clothes or towels warm from the dryer just might buy you enough time to finish folding your stack. Kids also love to help load and unload the washer and dryer.

Watering flowers/plants. Let your grandchild help you hold the hose or fill up a watering can to quench thirsty flowers and plants.

Grocery shopping/farmers market. First, let your grandchild help you make a shopping list. Then, make an outing to pick up the items on the list. If you have time, you can even finish by cooking something with the ingredients you buy. This start-to-finish activity can contain many eye-opening moments for a child as they make connections about how food ends up on their plates.

Hardware store. With wide aisles and unusual items, shopping at the hardware store can be a real treat for a little one.

Whether your housework is really getting done or not, including your grandchildren in the effort teaches them responsibility and reminds them that there’s more to life than making messes with toys. It’s also a productive way to spend quality time together while slowly chipping away at your own household to-do list.